


Kings and Vagabonds

by grauschwinge



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: M/M, Nihon Country, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-06 02:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12807981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grauschwinge/pseuds/grauschwinge
Summary: My entries for KuroFai Week 2017.





	1. Sweet

He stretched out before he moved closer to the other man, then wrapped himself more tightly in the oversized, dark haori draped over his shoulders. The familiar scent clinging to the fabric caused him to hum contentedly, and Fay seated himself beside Kurogane, who began to whisk the powdered tea into a green, frothy liquid.

When he and Kurogane had previously attended tea ceremonies hosted by Princess Tomoyo, Fay had particularly enjoyed sampling the various fruit liquors and confections. They provided a welcome change both from the tea and from many of the foods typical of his new home, which he was still getting used to. While he had already become fond of some of the more savory foods, Fay always eyed the confections so intensely that Kurogane gladly surrendered his share of them to the blond man (although he insisted on keeping his share of the liquors).

Amid the steady rhythm of the bamboo whisk, Fay silently observed Kurogane's motions, which had a simple sort of elegance, a trace of his upbringing that awed the blond man even more than the complex customs of the tea ceremony did.

As the ceremony was far less formal between only Kurogane and Fay, Kurogane was sitting cross-legged, while Fay was lounging with one leg drawn up to his torso and the other leg stretched out, lightly leaning against the taller man's side, so that the black kimono and the white furisode both contrasted and complemented each other.

Apart from the formalities, the ceremony also lacked the liquors and the sweets; there was only the fragrance of green tea wafting up from the steaming bowl, which Kurogane held out to Fay. Waiting as Fay brushed his fingertips along the bowl, to test its heat, Kurogane studied the faint scars that lined the other man's fingers.

As soon as he had deemed it safe to touch, Fay had accepted the bowl, but he merely held it close to his face for a moment, relishing the fragrance and the warmth. When he finally took a sip, gazing into the green liquid as if to meditate on the taste that had heated up (but not scalded) the tip of his tongue, which was peaking out between his lips, Kurogane raised his eyebrows.

"Too bitter?"

Kurogane's voice was soft, easily betraying the concern which he was prone to conceal behind his usual scowl. Eyes half-lidded, Fay looked at him, albeit not before he had drunk again, taking far more than a sip. He held back the tea in his mouth for a moment, allowing the flavor to spread out while the pleasant heat coursed through his body. Without setting down the bowl, he held the lapels of the haori closed to preserve the warmth while he breathed in deeply, then exhaled slowly.

Leaning around the taller man, Fay brushed against Kurogane's mouth with his lips, teasingly and affectionately. He drank again before he shook his head, but a smile spread out on his face.

"No. It's perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A haori is a jacket usually worn over a kimono; Kurogane sometimes wears one in Outo Country (at Clover, for example). A furisode is a type is kimono with extra long sleeves; Fay wears one in Nihon Country.


	2. Battle

In spite of the silence that had descended on Shirasagi Castle upon nightfall, numerous guards were patrolling the halls of the palace, as well as the surrounding gardens, unseen but always alert. The ninja guard had been training with particular fervor ever since Princess Tomoyo's bodyguard had first left Nihon Country, and even just from having watched them train during the daytime, he had quickly gained the impression that the women were all capable fighters, who would protect the princess and the empress, along with the entire court of Shirasagi Castle, even when he was not around.

But he had returned at last, and the roof of the palace was still his domain, where he lay in wait, on the prowl, poised to attack at the slightest hint of a threat.

Even when he became aware of another presence, he remained still, bracing himself until he could feel the challenger's breath on the back of his neck. Within the blink of an eye, he spun around, drawing the sword at the same time, and the other man gasped at the sight of the blade gleaming in the light of the full moon.

The other fighter, whose dark clothing bore embroideries in the shape of the crescent moon, had the body of a dancer, slender but not weak in the slightest. Chuckling, he dodged the first strike of the sword with ease, long strands of pale hair trailing behind his head when he twirled around the swordsman, then jumped, evading another swing of the sword by pushing against the taller man's shoulders in order to propel himself into the air.

After the blond man had landed, the two fighters began to circle one another, wordlessly, not allowing the other to draw close enough to strike but watching closely all the while. When they finally rushed at each other, one was charging forward, sword raised, while the other was leaping towards him. The blond man swayed, then let himself fall, but as he could not slide away in time, he found himself pinned down on the roof beneath the black-haired man's body.

Even though the blade was almost touching his throat, Fay grinned up at Kurogane, who stayed calm despite the darts which the other man was holding against his throat.

"Kuro-sama, you're heavy...!"

Frowning, Kurogane pulled away the sword, and Fay breathed out. While he withdrew the darts, Fay continued to smile, and Kurogane sighed as he rose to his feet. Before he sheathed the sword, Kurogane grasped Fay's forearm to help him stand up, too, and Fay held on firmly to Kurogane's forearm in return.

"Wannabe ninja."

In spite of his snort, Kurogane ruffled Fay's hair, and his glare gave way to a grin, while Fay laughed.

"Don't hold back just because it's me, okay?"

Kurogane's confident grin could never fail to terrify his enemies, but Fay's smile did not falter. Instead, it widened further, and even Kurogane's smile softened.

"I won't ever hold back. Especially not when it's you."


	3. Music

The chiming ceased as soon as Fay carefully set down the bell, but he did not sit down. He stared at the bell for a moment, then looked away. Kurogane watched him pace, just as Kurogane had been watching Fay handle the moon bell only moments before.

He had been gripping the bell firmly, as though it were a weapon, while shaking it in a slow rhythm, eyes closed in concentration, waving his free hand through the air; whereas he wrote the runes for his spells with his outstretched index finger and middle finger, while working with the bell, he had been keeping the palm of his free hand open.

Yet his efforts had turned out to have been in vain.

"I can't get it to work. My magic's not right."

Fay's words had been mere whispers, directed more at himself than at Kurogane, whom he was not facing.

"Your magic's for combat. There's no shame in leaving the wards to the priestesses."

Fay halted, then heaved a sigh bordering on a snort, but he finally sat down at Kurogane's right side.

"I wanted to try, though. Princess Tomoyo so kindly lent me this bell, believing it would attune my magic to the magic of this country, but... I just can't do it."

When he tentatively touched the colorful ribbons trailing from the handle of the bell designed to resemble the crescent moon, he still looked dejected.

"Your magic's fine the way it is. Besides, you've put up shields before. Remember?"

Kurogane whistled, using the very same combination of two notes with which Fay had pestered him during their first journey, for months, until he had finally whistled properly, albeit not to show off, but to save the travelers with his magic. When Fay looked up to see Kurogane's confident smile, he chuckled, then smiled, too. Whistling in the same manner, Fay moved closer to Kurogane as his body relaxed.

"I have become happy... I have become happy with you... You have become my happiness..."

Fay uttered a quiet gasp at the sound of Kurogane's sonorous voice, and he merely listened for a moment before he responded to him, adding another layer to the song. Fay's tone was as warm and as gentle as Kurogane's tone was, although his voice was lighter, with a smoothness reminiscent of light laughter, and Kurogane relished hearing Fay sing in the language of Nihon Country.

"So you have taken me along... You have taken me along, far away... To someplace away from there... You have taken me along... I have become happy..."

A serene smile spread out on Fay's face, and he entwined his fingers with the digits of Kurogane's artificial hand, while Kurogane wrapped his right arm around Fay's back, pulling him even closer to himself.

"I have taken you along..."

"You have taken me along..."

Both men were smiling when they rested their foreheads together for a moment, while their voices mingled.

"I have found happiness. I have found happiness with you."


	4. Dreams

He recognized the place immediately, from the light filtering through the foliage to the faint sound of birdsong. But more than anything, he recognized the scene playing out before him, even though it differed significantly from his memories.

Inside the shrine, he could see the light of the morning sun reflected by the metal surfaces, both the silver one of the dragon-headed sword and the golden one of the crescent-shaped bell.

Clad in armor, the lord of the province was kneeling, head bowed, while holding out the sword, which the priest, wearing a ceremonial robe, was touching with a wand made from the branch of an evergreen tree, holding the moon bell in his other hand.

The priest was murmuring an incantation, eyes almost closed, while the lord was silent, not even looking up until the other man had finished his prayer.

Still silent, the lord rose to his full height, thus towering over the priest, who gazed up at the other man with a wistful expression. The lord looked wistful as well, and as soon as he had sheathed the sword, he reached out to touch the priest's hair, which had been tied back in a such manner that a few of the longer strands were allowed to flow freely.

"Success be with you... Youou."

The priest was smiling, but the lord frowned.

"Don't smile if you don't mean it."

He blinked. The room was dim, but his eyes adjusted quickly to the scarce light. Kurogane turned his head, only for Fay, who was lying on his stomach at the other man's side, to snore loudly, mouth open and tongue hanging out, so that the tip of his tongue touched Kurogane's skin, which also brushed against the hairs growing along Fay's jawline.

When Kurogane shifted slightly, Fay stirred as well, grumbling, but as soon as he looked at Kurogane, Fay smiled.

"Good morning... Kuro-sama."

Humming drowsily, Fay draped his right arm across Kurogane's chest, then pulled himself up, moving just enough to be able to kiss the other man's lips.

"Morning. Let's get up. We have to get going soon."

Fay yawned, but before he could burrow down beneath the covers, Kurogane gave him a kiss, simultaneously curling the tips of the blond man's hair around the fingers of his right hand. 

From beneath the netting around the bed, Kurogane and Fay watched the door to the balcony lighting up with a faint orange glow. The light filtering into their room revealed Ginryuu, which had been propped up on its stand not far from the bed, as well as the prosthetic arm, which had been placed on a pile of clothes. They were simple but practical, ideal for traveling and fighting. In the light of the early morning, the jeweled eyes of the dragon sparkled, as though the fabled being itself were challenging the two men.

As the dimness began to fade, Kurogane grinned at Fay, who accepted the challenge, grinning back with a mixture of confidence and joy.


	5. Bad Habits

Princess Tomoyo's laugh, akin to a cackle, made Kurogane halt, and while his eyes widened, his grasp on the lapels of Fay's robe loosened just enough for Fay to slip free, although he did not stray from Kurogane's side.

While both Kurogane and Fay lowered their clenched fists, Princess Tomoyo stretched out her arms and raised her hands, presenting the open palms. Her smile was as charming as ever, but Kurogane recognized the glint of wicked amusement in her eyes as she set up her ward. He grabbed Fay's arm, but the blond man remained calm, head tilted in genuine curiosity.

Light flashed all around them, and they were no longer in the courtyard of Shirasagi Castle. Instead, they found themselves in what appeared to be a regular room, floored with tatami and surrounded on all sides by paper-covered walls, but Kurogane and Fay both knew that they were inside a ward. Nevertheless, Fay smiled, even though Kurogane was still gripping his arm, glowering and snorting.

"Don't blame me," Fay chirped.

"I blame you," Kurogane snarled.

Still glaring, Kurogane let go of Fay once again, then stomped across the tatami and sat down, cross-legged. With a light laugh, Fay whirled around before he seated himself in front of another wall, to squat directly across the room from Kurogane, all without losing his carefree expression.

"You'd better not make a habit of this, Kuro-sama. Stomping all over the roof and knocking down tiles... You are a ninja, right? Aren't you supposed to be stealthy? The shame... Princess Tomoyo's bodyguard, reduced to a rowdy...!"

With a growl, Kurogane jumped to his feet, then stomped towards Fay.

"Then stop making me chase you around. And stop trying to hurl me through the walls."

"Now, Kuro-sama! Punching walls has always been your habit. I have never done any more than nearly damage walls. Besides, it's not my fault the walls in this country are so fragile."

While Fay was stretching out on the floor, Kurogane was standing over him, glaring down at the other man.

"Then why did you end up inside the ward, too? You could have hidden your presence with your magic. You had no qualms about it before."

The blond man merely chuckled.

"To keep you company, of course! And really, if it weren't for my good influence, you'd still be littering the roof with bodies. I'm sure Princess Tomoyo thinks so, too."

"She's a fiend. Now quit your babbling."

Crossing his arms, Kurogane exhaled slowly and loudly, while Fay continued to present a broad smile.

"You know, Kuro-sama... Princess Tomoyo must have had a good reason for sending us here."

"You mean other than laughing at us? And spying on us, no doubt..."

"Yes. Any damage done to the interior of this room stays inside the ward... Correct?"

With a mischievous smile, Fay stood up, one hand on his hip. He presented his clenched fist, then looked at Kurogane, whose scowl quickly gave way to a matching expression.

"You're on."


	6. NSFW

Lingering in front of the paper-covered door, Princess Tomoyo was listening so intently that she barely dared to breathe, to avoid the risk of being unable to pick up as many of the sounds from within the room as she could. Even when Amaterasu and Souma approached her, Princess Tomoyo looked up only briefly, nodding to acknowledge her sister and the other woman, before she turned her attention back to the door and to the room beyond it.

She could hear the shuffling of feet within the room, light steps, like a dance, immediately followed by heavier footfall. She could hear the rustling of fabric, too, along with hushed sounds, such as gasps and sighs, which gradually began to rise in volume, becoming breezy laughter and contented grumbling.

"Kuro-sama! How do you even hold this thing up? It's so long, and it's heavy, too..."

"Don't call it a thing. Have some respect."

"I know, I know! It's your pride and joy...!"

"Stay focused. Both hands."

Even though Princess Tomoyo was keeping her smile concealed behind her sleeve, her eyes betrayed her amusement and excitement, which prompted the empress to frown. Nevertheless, she stayed in front of the door, too, although she did not lean close to it, as her sister did.

"Oi, don't apply so much oil."

"Don't you like a bit of fragrance, though, Kuro-sama? When you pull it out..."

Before she covered her lips with her hand, eyes wide and face flushed, Souma mouthed an "oh my," while Amaterasu alternated between regarding the door with irritation and shaking her head, with just enough energy that the bells on her headdress did not ring loudly, at her starry-eyed sister.

"Rub it. More gently than that! That's better. Now, all the way down..."

"I knew it from the moment I met you, Kuro-sama. I knew right away that you're a man who's very good at what he does..."

With a look of exasperation, Amaterasu turned away, then stormed down the corridor, with Souma following closely behind; however, both women looked back at Princess Tomoyo, who placed her hand on the finger catch.

Quietly, more through motions than through words, Kurogane was guiding Fay's effort to properly clean and maintain Ginryuu, which was placed across their laps. The two men were sitting side by side, glancing at one another all the while.

Princess Tomoyo knew that Kurogane and Fay were aware of her presence. Yet they were so absorbed in their time together, both handling the sword and simply keeping each other company, that they did not even bother to look up, let alone to admonish her for peeping at them.

Pleased with her discoveries, Princess Tomoyo slid the door closed again. She was beaming when she joined Amaterasu and Souma, with her soft laughter muffled behind her sleeve.

As soon as he was sure that the princess had left at last, Kurogane smiled instead of frowning, then looked at Fay, who laughed, nuzzling the side of the taller man's face.


	7. 100

His eyebrows twitched, and he squinted at the sunlight flooding the room. Even without opening his eyes, he recognized the warm weight sprawled out across his torso, and he uttered a low growl that did not, however, receive a response from the other man. Grunting, Kurogane pushed Fay off, only for the blond man to promptly steal the blanket. Exposed, Kurogane cursed under his breath but let Fay be. He pushed himself into a sitting position, then placed his right hand over his forehead before he ran his fingers through his hair.

Empty bottles meant for _sake_ , small in size but large in number, littered the floor all around the bed, while clothes strewed the room. When Kurogane stretched out his legs, his feet knocked against an empty bottle, and he watched it roll over the floor until it disappeared from his sight, knocking into more bottles along the way. He shook his head, then reached beside himself to win back the covers, but Fay, despite refusing to move otherwise, held on to the blanket with such determination that Kurogane had to compromise. When he pulled the blanket closer, Fay slid against his back, mumbling incomprehensibly against the other man's shoulder while wrapping his left arm around his side.

Before Kurogane could close his eyes, though, in an attempt to avoid the bright sunlight, he suddenly spotted another bottle of _sake_. It was standing beside the bed, just within his reach. When he stretched out his arm, Fay grumbled and clung to the other man more tightly, refusing to surrender the warmth which both the other body and the covers provided. But Kurogane was not deterred, and as soon as his fingers had closed around the small bottle, he heard the familiar sound of liquid moving within. Lifting the bottle close to his face, he inhaled the familiar scent of the alcohol, but before he could drink, Fay had grasped his wrist.

"You're never drinking again."

Without letting go of the bottle, Kurogane looked over his shoulder, and Fay pouted while suppressing a yawn. He tried to speak, but his words trailed off, slurred, and he snickered, whereas the black-haired man scowled.

"Stop pretending to be drunk. You're not even blushing!"

"Kuro-sama... As perceptive as ever! Now, give me that bottle."

Kurogane sighed but complied, glaring as Fay waved the bottle around, above his head, nearly spilling the alcohol. When Fay finally brought the bottle to his lips, Kurogane sighed again, albeit more softly, and more out of relief than out of frustration. The blond man did not drink, however. Instead, he grinned.

"A toast! A toast to my husband, to my generous Kuro-sama!"

"Here's to this fool I married. Now hand over the booze."

"I love you, too, Kuro-sama! Here's to you again!"

"Oi, don't chug it all down!"

"Sing with me, Kuro-sama...!"

Still frowning, Kurogane cleared his throat, then inhaled, in order to join in with Fay.

"99 bottles of _sake_ on the wall... 99 bottles of _sake_!"


	8. Free Day

Lying on their backs, close to each other amid the grass and the wildflowers, the two men were stretching out as though the sky were a canopy, with countless tiny points of light scattered across the inky darkness. With a sigh, the blond man raised one arm towards the sky, as though the stars were fireflies which he could attempt to catch with his hand. Keeping his head rested on his crossed arms, Kurogane looked to the side, to find that Fay was smiling, in a contented yet wistful manner.

"You know, Kuro-sama... When they look up at the sky at night, they don't even see the same stars we're seeing. Even though the night sky looked the same, in many other worlds... in Clow Country, and in the world where the shop is... They're all so far away from us now. It seems as though they're even farther away than the stars, doesn't it? But you're here. And I'm here with you."

Fay fanned out his fingers as though to seize the sky, but before he could pretend to capture the stars, Kurogane curled his fingers around the back of the other man's hand, with a slight smile that Fay heard rather than saw. He shuddered at the sound of Kurogane's voice, sonorous and full of warmth, so close that Kurogane's breath tickled the side of Fay's neck.

"You are. I am. We'll stay this way. And we'll never forget the others. Any of them."

When Fay chuckled, Kurogane sighed, albeit with a hint of laughter.

"Yeah... Not even the white _manjuu."_

Fay's smile was so full of genuine joy that Kurogane merely stared at the blond man for a moment, then gently ruffled his hair. Fay laughed lightly, not bothering to rearrange the mussed strands, while Kurogane lay down and crossed his arms behind his head again. Both men inhaled deeply, listening to the sounds of the breeze lightly rustling the plants, and of small creatures scurrying through the grass. Having shifted to lie on his side, Fay placed one hand on the other man's chest, in order to trace patterns on his skin, which was exposed due to the casual way in which Kurogane was wearing his robe.

Kurogane and Fay were watching each other when the sky suddenly brightened, and Fay gasped in astonishment. Eyes going wide, he squeezed Kurogane's hand while pointing at the sky, across which a shooting star was racing.

"Quick, Kuro-sama! Make a wish!"

With a grumble that turned into a laugh, Kurogane pulled Fay closer, then nuzzled his hair.

"No need. I've had enough of wishes, anyway."

Fay's smile widened before Kurogane kissed him, stroking the long strands of blond hair while Fay ran his fingers through Kurogane's hair in return. Parting for a moment, they gazed at one another.

"You know, Kuro-sama... The sky might look the same in other worlds, but for me... the most beautiful stars have always been the ones we can see here, in Nihon Country."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to check out [my blog](https://eternal-bond.tumblr.com/).


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